Cohen, Shaul
Dwyer, Kathleen
Dwyer, Kathleen
2012-10-26T04:08:38Z
2012-10-26T04:08:38Z
2012
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12470
An estimated one in five Hondurans live outside of Honduras, and 25% of the Honduran GDP is measured in remittances from migrants living abroad. This means that all Hondurans are implicated in international migration. Utilizing qualitative interviews with Honduran migrants and their families in the context of modern Honduran society, this thesis focuses on the ways in which international immigration structures impact the lives of Hondurans. Over the past two decades, the reasons and mechanisms of migration have changed dramatically and have become increasingly dangerous due to US and Mexican immigration policy. This thesis explores the experience of migrants and their families by focusing on deportees, migrants who are injured in the journey, and those who disappear en route. I conclude that structural violence intersects every aspect of Honduran migration, from the construction of push and pull factors motivating migration to the implications of natural, legal, and structural barriers.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Central America
Honduras
Human Rights
Migration
Policy
Structural Violence
Consequences of the American Dream: The Impacts of Structural Violence on Honduran Migration to the United States
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation

Ryan, Cheyney
Robertson, Caitlin
Robertson, Caitlin
2012-12-07T23:15:12Z
2012-12-07T23:15:12Z
2012
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12558
Refusing to participate in war does not only mean refusing to serve in the military. For many conscientious objectors, it means refusing to pay taxes that directly support the military industrial complex. Conscientious tax objectors risk many punishments by withholding tax money that supports war. Politico-social conflicts exist between a citizen's legal obligation to pay taxes and the personal obligation to her/his moral beliefs. My research suggests that the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act (RFPTFA) may be one transformative agent for this conflict.
Through examination of relevant case law, statutes, conflict transformation literature, and interviews with conscientious tax objectors, my investigation concludes that members of the conscientious tax objector movement disagree on the merits of RFPTFA. My research suggests that until these various intermovement factions enter into consensus-building dialogue, conscientious tax objection will remain a mere symbolic method of pacifism rather than a powerful tool in the art of peacebuilding.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Conflict Transformation
Conscientious Tax Objection
Religious Freedom
Freedom of Conscience v. Required Taxation: Exploring the Conflict Transformation Agency of the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation

Lininger, Tom
Bibee, Andrea
2013-07-11T20:12:37Z
2013-07-11T20:12:37Z
2013-07-11
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12995
Peacebuilding efforts are ongoing around the globe today. However, in societies that have transitioned out of conflict and have a strong judiciary, potential exists to use innovative techniques to assist in those efforts. Termed divided societies, these countries which have conflict simmering under the surface may benefit from public interest litigation as a tool for peacebuilding in the region. As peacebuilding and public interest litigation share many of the same goals, litigation may be able to assist the society to more sustainably transition from a culture of conflict to a culture of peace. This paper details current scholarship on public interest litigation, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconstruction, provides research findings of best practices for litigating from Northern Ireland and South Africa, and discusses the efficacy and limitations of public interest litigation as a tool for peacebuilding.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Conflict resolution
Evaluation
Northern Ireland
Peace
Public Interest Litigation
Rule of Law
Litigating for Peace: The Impact of Public Interest Litigation in Divided Societies
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.A.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Hicks, Tim
Johnson, Orren
2013-10-03T23:38:10Z
2014-12-29T21:12:32Z
2013-10-03
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/13339
Almost twenty years after the signing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and negotiations over mitigation and adaptation strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions began, the negotiations continue to fall short of scientific goals to curb warming. Current UNFCCC procedures do not provide for mediation in the process of negotiations. Public policy mediation has been used often at local, national, and regional levels to resolve environmental disputes. The characteristics of the climate change negotiations suggest that mediation may provide a number of benefits to the negotiations.
Scholars and practitioners have developed criteria for determining the suitability of applying mediation to a dispute. The UNFCCC negotiations meet the majority of these criteria. However, the urgency of the issue, its complexity, the number of stakeholders, institutional capacity, and the power parity of the parties suggest mediation may be most beneficial if applied on a small scale at the UNFCCC negotiations.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Climate Change
International Environmental Mediation
Mediation
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
On the Possiblity of Mediation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.S.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Hicks, Tim
Ngah, Asheri
2013-10-03T23:37:11Z
2014-12-29T21:12:32Z
2013-10-03
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/13324
This research is an inquiry into the use of traditional institutions in public policy with a focus on collaborative governance approaches that build on the customary practices. Collaborative governance processes seek to bring different stakeholders together for the purpose of finding solutions to public policy matters. The structure of traditional institutions shows the potential for their use in decision-making. This idea is explored in the general Cameroonian context by conducting interviews with six individuals from various fields. The interviews show some variations in opinions about the perception of the role of the traditional institutions as well as challenges faced. Collaborative governance is examined as a means to handling some of the challenges. The research concludes that traditional authorities are relevant to informing public policy but have to be used with caution. Other ways of expanding this research are looked at with recommendations made to government and traditional authorities
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Cameroon
Collaborative governance
Public Policy
Traditional African Institutions
Traditional African Institutions and Collaborative Governance in Public Policy Development: A Case Study of Cameroon
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.A.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Baxter, Diane
Palm, Alex
2013-10-03T23:37:46Z
2013-10-03T23:37:46Z
2013-10-03
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/13334
This thesis explores the perceptions of Palestinian university students on topics of peace with Israel and armed or violent conflict engagement strategies. By relying on Frame Analysis literature, this research describes how respondents currently frame these issues and what has influenced the formation of these frames. Using data gathered over a period of three months through a survey and focus group interviews, I identify four dominant frames of peace expressed by respondents. Data were collected from 260 survey respondents and 160 interviewees. I use the data to show different levels of desire for peace with Israel and support for armed conflict engagement based on the way that individuals defined peace. Respondents were pessimistic about peace with Israel and supportive of violent engagement with Israel. Participants who defined peace negatively expressed these sentiments more frequently. Interviewees expressed several grievances against Israeli policies that influence their opinions on peace and violence.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Armed Resistance
Conflict Resolution
Frame Analysis
Peace
Violence
Framing Peace and Violence in Intractable Conflict: Towards an Understanding of Perceptions in Palestinian Universities
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.S.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Hicks, Tim
Efendi, Johari
2013-10-03T23:33:45Z
2013-10-03T23:33:45Z
2013-10-03
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/13274
This study analyzes how civic engagement and collaborative governance can be used to build peace in post-conflict societies. A case study approach is used to examine the presence of civic engagement as a precursor to collaborative governance in the reconstruction of segregated areas in post-conflict Ambon, Indonesia. The study evaluates the effective ways that people were engaged in the multiple processes of reconstruction and assesses the readiness of Ambon to apply collaborative governance in current affairs. It finds that collaborative governance can be applied to public policy processes in segregated societies in post-conflict and can promote inter-society engagement. This study suggests that governments and NGOs in post-conflict areas could use a collaborative governance approach to sustain peace in post-conflict areas. The conclusions recognize that integrating collaborative governance into peace building programs is a crucial element of the peace building process in post-conflict areas, creating a greater likelihood for sustainable peace.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Ambon
Indonesia
Civic Engagement
Collaborative Governance
Post Conflict
Public policy
Civic Engagement and Collaborative Governance in Post-Conflict Societies: Case Study, Ambon, Indonesia
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.A.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Chrisinger, Colleen
Abbah, Blessing
2014-09-29T17:39:26Z
2014-09-29T17:39:26Z
2014-09-29
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18316
A qualitative research design served to explore the effects of human resource policies in the workplace with narratives developed from a group of 15 women comprising African immigrants and their U.S counterparts in Oregon through analysis and interpretation of data from one-on-one interviews. The findings suggest that human resource policies in the workplace greatly impact women's work experiences.
This study explored major factors such as pay difference, language and communication proficiency, cultural/religious differences, skill transferability and employment skill prejudice and discrimination and working conditions. Despite women's qualifications, competence and belief that equal skill mean equal opportunity, the strictures of human resource work policies makes it harder to excel in the workplace. Work experience and policies in Africa and America differ, and life circumstances of African women are distinctively different from those of their U.S counterparts. The analysis concludes with recommendations and implication for employers, managers, and human resource personnel.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
conflict resolution
Gender and workplace
Human resource
Immigration studies
Multicultural work environment
U.S. Work culture
Human Resource Policies in the Workplace: A Comparative Analysis on the Perception of Female African Immigrants and Female U.S. Born Workers
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.A.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Frener, Nathaline
Law, Brian
2014-09-29T17:42:05Z
2014-09-29T17:42:05Z
2014-09-29
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18332
Many family mediators encounter intimate partner violence (IPV) during the course of child-custody and divorce mediation. By interviewing family mediators in Oregon I have established concrete strategies that mediators use when working with parties who may have a history of IPV. These strategies may be structural, such as building design and intake procedures, or they may be verbal interventions employed during the course of mediation. Mediators employed a wide variety of strategies based on their experience, situations, and intuition. Some strategies, like the use of shuttle mediation, were used by all the mediators I contacted. Other strategies, such as naming problematic behavior, were limited to only a few of the mediators. All the participating family mediators were aware of the possibility of IPV and consciously took measures to limit its influence on the mediation process when it existed.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Domestic Violence
Family Mediation
Interventions
Intimate Partner Violence
Mediation
Strategies
Mediator Strategies When Working With Child-Custody and Divorce Cases Involving Intimate Partner Violence
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.S.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Sprague, Jeffrey
Kincade, Wendy
2014-09-29T17:43:25Z
2014-09-29T17:43:25Z
2014-09-29
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18343
Despite all of the attention given to it by researchers, scientists, educators, psychologists, sociologists, etc., bullying continues to permeate K-12 schools around the world. Statistics on K-12 bullying in the U.S. confirm that not only did bullying double in the ten years between 2001 and 2011 but these numbers are not getting smaller. This thesis provides a sampling of studies and programs that have been done or are being done to understand, reduce, prevent, and eliminate school bullying. The emphasis of the sampling is on the use of top-down, hierarchical value structures, designed to encourage youth to comply with the values of a dominant adult group; these underlying values are in direct contrast to the underlying values of egalitarianism and self-determination that are inherent in the goals of the current study, where sixth grade students learned about dialogue and how to communicate with each other in nurturing non-hierarchical environments.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Bullying
Dialogic
Dialogue
Egalitarianism
Intervention
Prevention
Effect of Dialogic Training on School Bullying and Inter-Student Cooperation with Sixth Grade Students in a Rural Oregon Middle School
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.S.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Weiner, Merle
Robinson, Sonnet
2014-09-29T17:48:31Z
2014-09-29T17:48:31Z
2014-09-29
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18385
This thesis explores a gendered conflict in nerd culture. I sent an online survey to self-identified women nerds with a series of questions asking their opinion of the representation of women in nerd media and about their experiences within the nerd community. Seventy-five percent of respondents reported that a sexy or sexualized appearance was the most prominent aspect of women's representation in nerd media. Eighty-two percent of participants had experienced a gender-based insult when participating in nerd media. Findings suggest that harassment and representation in media is worse for women comic book and video game media and communities than in other sub-genres within the culture. More research is needed on racial representation and participation and on nerd men's experiences with gate-keeping.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Geek
Gender
Gender Representation
Harassment
Nerd
Nerd Culture
Fake Geek Girl: The Gender Conflict in Nerd Culture
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.S.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Weiner, Merle
Oreizi, Justin
2014-09-29T17:51:39Z
2014-09-29T17:51:39Z
2014-09-29
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18412
For a variety of reasons since 1979, the United States of America has severed all political ties and retreated to a policy of enacting economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Such reasons include security concerns and human rights abuses. Historical research and surveys of economic data suggest that the sanctions have had limited effectiveness on the Iranian economy. Furthermore, the increasing tension between the United States and Iran caused by sanctions would also suggest that the latter is unlikely to curb its foreign policy to suit the interests of the U.S. My research indicates that despite the current malady of issues that define the American-Iranian relationship today, a once prosperous and peaceful partnership existed between the two countries only a short time ago. In conclusion, it will be shown that both countries would be financially and militarily better off if sanctions were eased and their peaceful partnership might be restored.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Economic Sanctions
Foreign Policy
Iran
United States
A Policy Analysis and Critique of United States Economic Sanctions Against the Islamic Republic of Iran: 1979-Present
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.A.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Cohen, Shaul
Riley, Kristine
2014-09-29T17:53:32Z
2014-09-29T17:53:32Z
2014-09-29
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18431
This thesis seeks to reorient the ideological foundations of restorative justice through feminist epistemologies to explore possibilities of how the movement might more fully actualize its values. The Three Pillars of Restorative Justice, conceptualized by Howard Zehr, offer an alternative process to the punitive recourse of the criminal justice system and serve as the foundation of mainstream restorative practices. However, the praxis and analytical discourse have stalled due to the limited binary of criminal and restorative justice frameworks. My thesis uses methodologies prominent in Black and Native feminisms-- such as critical thinking, contextual intelligence, and imagining futurity-- to complicate assumptions embedded in the criminal/restorative justice relationship. I establish the framework of restorative justice and briefly summarize the essential paradoxes to make clear the parallels and limits of the relationship. I then use feminist methodologies to reinterpret the pillars' values and introduce how some activists have begun to reimagine justice.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Black Feminism
Conflict Resolution
Native Feminism
Restorative Justice
Social Justice
Transformative Justice
A Reinterpretation of Restorative Justice through Black and Native Feminisms
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.S.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Reynolds, Jennifer
Carlos, Aileen
2014-10-17T16:16:56Z
2014-10-17T16:16:56Z
2014-10-17
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18546
The Clean Water Act's §404 allows states to assume control of wetland dredge-and-fill permitting from the Federal Government. However, since the bill was passed in the 1970's, only two states have successfully assumed control of the permitting program. Each state that has looked into assumption has run into barriers, issues, and problems that have prevented them from successfully assuming the program. I interviewed people involved with assumption at different levels of involvement, and this thesis seeks to provide a conflict management design system that will help states overcome some of the most pernicious issues.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Assumption
Clean Water Act
Water Resources
The Trouble with Assumptions: An Analysis of the Ongoing Struggles with §404 Assumption
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.S.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Severson, Ronald
Clark, Danielle
2014-10-17T16:15:18Z
2014-10-17T16:15:18Z
2014-10-17
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18527
This thesis proposes that cultural heritage preservation in the event of armed conflict is negotiated through four main frameworks: (1) a political framework of independent governments and UNESCO; (2) a legal framework of international conventions and agreements; (3) a civil framework including local communities and non-governmental organizations; and (4) an armed forces framework spanning military and militant groups. These four frameworks operate in conjunction with one another, at times in complementary or in contradictory ways. Given the intimate connection of immoveable cultural sites to the dynamics of cultural identity, it is assumed in this thesis that the intentional destruction of cultural heritage property is akin to the destruction of a group's cultural identity and to a greater extent a crucial component of ethnic cleansing in connection with social identity theory.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
armed conflict
Bamyian Buddha
cultural heritage
immovable
Middle East
preservation
Negotiating Stones: Immovable Cultural Heritage Preservation in the Event of Armed Conflict
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.S.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Girvan, Erik
Etheredge, Corrie
2014-10-17T16:17:30Z
2014-10-17T16:17:30Z
2014-10-17
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18550
Concerns over skyrocketing school disciplinary rates have driven the search for alternative methods to address disruptive student behavior. Restorative disciplinary practices are a promising option for our nation's schools. This investigation explores the willingness of educators to adopt restorative discipline by analyzing survey data from the Northwest Justice Forum Pre-Training on Restorative Justice in Schools. Data analysis was conducted using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a model for understanding and predicting future behavior--in this instance, willingness to be contacted for more information or willingness to participate in a future study. A concurrent review of the participant's school disciplinary policies demonstrated how participant views are reflected in practice. The analysis suggested that the respondent's attitude significantly predicted intention, and both attitude and intention predicted behavior. Furthermore, the policy review confirmed that restorative discipline is largely absent and cautioned that there may be misconceptions about its use.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Discipline policy
Implementation
Restorative discipline
Restorative justice
School
Youth
Willingness to Adopt Restorative Discipline in Schools: An Analysis of Northwest Justice Forum Pre-Training on Restorative Justice and Schools Survey Data
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.A.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon

Baxter, Diane
Zeumer, Mathias
2015-01-14T15:58:53Z
2015-01-14T15:58:53Z
2015-01-14
http://hdl.handle.net/1794/18737
The Arab Peace Initiative (former Saudi Initiative) was officially proposed by Saudi Arabia and has been (re-)endorsed by all 22 member states of the Arab League since 2002. Israel has not officially responded to the API but rather has generally ignored and by default rejected it. This thesis examines the reasons for the Israeli rejection by analyzing the structure of the Israeli government in relation to the position of the prime minister, both normatively and descriptively, and examining public opinion as a potential enabler or constraint on policymaking. It also explores mechanisms such as threat perceptions and framing to highlight cognitive influences that negatively impacted serious consideration of the API. Qualitative interviews with expert Israelis and Arabs contribute to a deeper understanding of the Israeli perspective of the API's shortcomings. The API is unlikely to be implemented under this current government unless Israeli public opinion significantly changes in its favor.
en_US
University of Oregon
All Rights Reserved.
Arab Peace Initiative
Conflict Resolution
Israel
Palestine
Public Opinion
Threat Perceptions
Israeli Rejection of the Arab Peace Initiative: Political Climate and Public Perceptions
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
M.A.
masters
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Program
University of Oregon